Indigenous Cultures Foundation

Since starting Worldwild Adventures Angela Nash and Rhoda McGivern have found themselves coming into contact with and learning about many indigenous tribes in remote areas around the world.

Realising that their work in bringing expeditions to these areas was an opportunity to have a positive impact on the people that they met, Rhoda and Angie decided to set up the Indigenous Cultures Foundation in 2009. They brought in Stuart Goring and Daniel Rasmussen as founding directors and the new organisation was born.

The Indigenous Cultures Foundation aims to provide a means for indigenous tribes to begin and maintain a sustainable livelihood in the areas in which they live. The foundation is working to empower local communities to set up their own sources of regular income for the entire population without reliance on any other party.

Often the people that we meet are in the midst of or have just successfully completed land rights claims with help from other charities. The Indigenous Cultures Foundation works to give these communities a way of staying on their ancestral lands, earning a living for themselves and maintaining their cultural identity. We feel that it is vital that the skills and traditions of each community are passed to future generations and are providing an incentive for this to continue to happen.

Following the template from a successful project in Namibia we are focussing in three areas initially:

• Namibia/Botswana with the San Bushmen
• Canadian Arctic with the Inuit
• Borneo with the Penan

In each of these areas the communities will be taught the necessary skills to set themselves up in the tourism industry, providing opportunities for visitors to each area to learn about the traditions and skills of each of these people. We will work in partnership with various charities to bring sustainable livelihoods to those people who are fighting to stay on their lands and who reliant on government handouts.

Each community that we work with will be offered support for as long as they need it but essentially will be given complete ownership of their project. Projects will vary according to the interests and traditions of each community and the area in which they live.

The Indigenous Cultures Foundation is holding an official launch in Spring 2010 with elders from each community attending to speak on how the projects will affect their communities. More details soon.

Founding Directors:

• Rhoda McGivern
• Angela Nash
• Daniel Rasmussen
• Stuart Goring